Massage Benefits

Massage Therapy has some pretty amazing benefits, not only does it have a sedative, stimulating or even exhausting effect on the nervous system depending on the type and length of massage. It also stretches connective tissue ,improves it's circulation and nutrition and so breaks down or prevents the formation of adhesion and reduces the danger of fibrosis.

                Massage doesn't stop there. It increases the number of blood cells, especially  in cases of anemia. It is a wonderful "mechanical cleanser" as I would like to put it. Stimulating lymph circulation and hastening the elimination of wastes and toxic debris.

                For someone looking to reduce stress and have an experience to restore balance for the body and mind, make sure to book in for a 30 min 60 min or 90 min massage!

Massage available at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Reducing Headache tension with the use of Massage Therapy

Have you ever placed your hands on your tummy and rub your belly to ease the pain as a child? or even perhaps during times of a headache we organically place our fingertips and apply pressure to our temples and start rubbing in a circular movement or just simply applied pressure and held the area to promote healing and release. Naturally these are ways we know in our DNA to express feelings of how to overcome pain naturally through our touch.

                With seasons changing and allergies on the rise and possibly stress or fatigue and dehydration, we are at risk of headache and massage therapy can help. I suffer from pollen and my immune system is working very hard in the peaks of spring when everything is in bloom, and with that may bring on a headache, so I make an effort to book in for self care and get massage therapy and tell the RMT about my history with seasonal allergies and with congestion when my immune system is at work.

                What relieves it? some essential oils and manipulation of the muscles and fascia that need some relief when so tight. So what I do? I go in and allow the therapist to work away on some of the pressure points of the neck muscles and occipital points and the sinus region with the relief of pressure points in the temples and along the nose and eyebrows. These little points of release feel amazing and relaxing and you get an instant release of pressure or a chance to breathe better expecially if you have been laying in prone position for a few min in the treatment. A nice way to finish the treatment for an overal time of 20 min of getting the neck muscles loosened up along with the scalp and face brings a tremendous relief of pressure and sense of peace of letting go of any unwanted tension in the body. If there is time, sometimes I would ask to have him or her to work on my feet  to finish the treatment to relieve any other congestion in the body along with sinus relief and headach relief, also known as reflexology. When the treatment is over I make sure to hydrate and stay hydrated through the day. Hydration is key when you know you are on the go!

Amelia Seaton-Segura, RMT practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

How Does CranioSacral Therapy Complement other Medical Interventions?

Most Medical and Healthcare practitioners see CranioSacral Therapy as a gentle and non-invasive Complementary Therapy - it is considered as suitable for the co-treatment of a number of conditions.

Many medical professionals criteria for recommending  therapies is that if it is doing no harm, makes you feel good and does not cost too much then go ahead.

To answer the question more directly, I often receive new clients in the following situations:

·         They have been through formal medical channels.
Often in the case of back pain, stress related illness etc. Clients feel they have exhausted all that formal medicine has to offer. This is ideal from my point of view as a full medical history has been built up and the individual's condition has been pre-checked by a medical practitioner.

·         The client wishes to complement formal medical treatment with another therapy.
Many of my pregnant clients and moms with infants and children are receiving formal medical care for their conditions and related complications. They typically continue with this care as they attend CranioSacral Therapy to further relieve symptoms or to reach the parts that they feel formal medical interventions cannot reach.

In summary, in my experience the answer is yes - CranioSacral Therapy can be used alongside formal medical interventions. 

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

Massage Therapy: Good Health Maintenance

   Massage Therapy used as maintenance to good health will align your body with feel good hormones and regulate and restore the body back to balance.

   When feeling good, even to book yourself in for even every 4 weeks or once a month will help you with your blood pressure and range of motion in your joints. It will help you perform in any sports and encourage improved blood circulation. It also helps with anxiety, depression and stress.

   Every day stress can add up quick and we start to feel it in our body. Once you start to feel your shoulders rise up towards your ears, or you have trouble sleeping and find yourself having any numbness in your hands could be caused by nerve entrapment due to the structure of the body being compromised in certain positions that could be putting pressure on the nerves. Which is a good idea to get that corrected with Chiropractic care and Massage. To have a therapist come in and allow movement to take place in the joints and apply pressure to the area to alleviate trigger points. To have the therapist to also apply pressure to the fascia, the fibrous connective tissue that protects and supports muscles and organs throught your body. Sometimes adhesions can also entrap nerves, the manipulation of the soft tissues through Active Release technique will break up the adhesions so your muscles, joints and nerves can move freely again. Which is a good reason to come in today while we hibernate in this cold weather even if its been a few days of no activity can wreak havoc on our body when we do decide to get up and move. With tension and lack of movement will for sure raise the chances of injury when you go to scrape the ice off the windshield. Take care and be mindful of movement and make sure to really warm up the muscles before any activity and hydrate!

Massage available at Family First Chiropractic located at 142 Erickson drive in Red Deer. Call us today to make an appointment (403)347-3261 or visit us at www.family1stchiro.ca.

CranioSacral Therapy and Women

One of the greatest benefits of CranioSacral therapy is its effectiveness in dealing with the many natural cycles, conditions and related complications that we women go through as we journey through life.

Conditions such as:

·         Puberty.

·         Attempting to get pregnant.

·         Pregnancy.

·         Pregnancy and birth complications.

·         Infant and toddler care and nurturing.

·         Menopause.

·         Conditions attached to later in life.

It is also in the area of Women's Health that conventional medicine and complementary health approaches are often found working side-by-side.

It is interesting to note that I notice the following:

• The majority of people who make health decisions in the households tend to be the women (booking children, husbands for treatments).
• While women are very happy to put enormous time and energy into looking after others (their unborn children when pregnant, baby infants, toddlers, children, Husbands/partners) - they seem to put themselves last in line when it comes to good old preventative and early treatment of many ailments!

I feel it is important for women to learn to take better care of themselves.

Working with CranioSacral Therapy myself over the last number of years has helped me to get more in touch with my own natural health rhythm - and I have found that while many of my female clients may have come for a specific ailment - over time they start to listen more to their own body and learn just what it needs to get back to health and stay there for the long term.

Jeannette Raskin practices at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca. 

Dealing with stress

We all have stress in our lives, there is good stress and bad stress. The good stress can help build us in a way to motivate us to greater depths of the imagineable. Then there is the bad stress that can take us back a few steps and put is in a dark place of non existance. Sometimes there are unfortunate events that take place whether that is with an illness,  the loss of a loved one, divorce, seperation or injury.

One of the most important ways of starting to identify how you respond to stress yourself is to get in touch with your own typical responses to it. We are all different, we have all had particular life experiences and been exposed to situations that are unique  to us. We will all respond to outside influences in different ways.

                How to overcome the stress? It is a journey indeed to clear away stress. It is a constant battle but here are some steps to bring awareness into your life to clear any obstacles that may be hindering you from maintaining overall health.

                Simply just being in the present moment for 10 minutes finding a quiet place and do a scan where are you holding any stress in your body and focus your attention inside yourself starting at the head then into your neck, shoulders , arms and hands, chest, abdomen, back, hips, legs and feet and make a mental note of where these sites are that you are  holding most of  your tension, breathe deeply and send warmth there into the tension site, dissolving  any negativity. While you are there notice any sensations of discomfort or any emotions that arise. Try not to judge them, just observe them. Breathe this warm sensation into the area, and notice what happens, When you have visited all the areas you identified, breathe deeply again twice and stretch your  fingers and toes before opening your eyes.

              Don't worry as you come out that there are still tension in any of the sites you are experiencing, It takes a few trys to find a calm state in the body as we are built on a foundation that tends to be fast pace. Once you get to know the areas in your body and slow the mind with the breath there will be tools to help you relax and melt the tension away. You can come see a Massage Therapist or Chiropractor or Physio therapist and take a class in yoga and follow a teacher that will guide you in a safe pose where you can stretch tension away or try Reiki and have a practitioner guide you through a meditation and have energy work done to find peace and feel calm after your treatment.

Massage available at at Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta.  403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

How the feet mirror the body

Have you tried Reflexology as the seasons change? As we fast approach the winter months come in for a treatment and get reflexology done at our clinic.

                From all the hiking and wearing cute flat shoes or sandles it would be a wise idea to have your feet pampered by releasing tension, clearing blockages and help the body to heal many malfunctions. Not only will your feet feel light as you step on out of the clinic, your overall well being will feel lifted and restored.

                Reflexology teaches that every organ and gland depends for its survival on the ability to contract and relax. When an obstacle is placed in an energy channel, for example when acid crystals, waste products or unused calcium deposits form on the delicate nerve endings of the feet, the energy flow is impeded and the organ it serves is then adversely affected. Obstructions  in the energy lines and fields cause pain to be registered and, in certain condtions, create limitations in motion and functions, for example stiff neck or sore back. Energy blockage also interferes with blood circulation and this is usually first noticed in the extremities. Hands may become stiff, cold and often painful. Waste products accumulate at the lowest point of gravity, and the reflexologist can feel them clearly when working on the feet.

42 Erickson Drive, Red Deer www.family1stchiro.ca 403-347-3261.

Counteracting the Effects of Prolonged Sitting

Most individuals are dealing with some kind of postural stress and more often than not, it tends to manifest in the shoulders and neck. Advanced forms of postural stress show up as pain or weakness in the low back and gluteals caused by prolonged periods of sitting. Luckily, massage can counteract the imbalance caused from sitting, which means you can keep your desk job-as long as you schedule a regular massage.

Movement and exercise promote increased blood flow and prolonged sitting does the exact opposite, leading to high blood pressure. Massage by a professional massage therapist has the ability to reduce diastolic blood pressure. Massage also treats the underlying causes of high blood pressure by loosening tense muscles, improving blood flow, and decreasing stress and anxiety.

Depression and anxiety caused by extended sitting will spill over into your personal life and cause more damage there. Massage is regarded as effective for the reduction of depression and anxiety. For those suffering from stress, depression, and anxiety disorders, the calming effect of massage therapy as well as the resulting increased blood flow have the ability to greatly improve their mental state and subsequently their quality of life.

Massage is so much more than paying for someone to rub your back. Trained massage therapists have the ability to improve your quality of life by improving or eliminating the underlying causes for your symptoms. It is an undisputed fact that prolonged periods in a sedentary state (i.e. sitting at a desk for hours a day) cause numerous physical and mental ailments. Massage is a safe way to relieve many of these ailments simultaneously. 

Guy Lacoursiere, RMT practices at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, located at 142 Erickson Drive. Call 403-347-3261 to book an appointment or visit us online at www.family1stchiro.ca

Music and Massage

                

Zen meditation is one of my favorites to play, while giving a massage. It helps the client relax and become more calm while receiving a massage. I also find that it helps balance and centers them as well. It can also help with children and calming them down when it is their first massage.

   

There are many benefits of listening to relaxing music while receiving a massage. With playing relaxing zen music it helps benefit you in many different ways. From increasing your positive hormones, to reducing stress, improving brain functions, calming your heart rate, and enhance pleasure experience. 

Relaxing music is also great for feeling as though you have slept throughout your massage. Each person responds differently to music types to help them relax.        

Nichole Mullis, RMT. Family First Chiropractic, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer, Alberta. 403-347-3261. www.family1stchiro.ca.

What is Lymphatic Drainage?

It is a specialized therapy, which is designed to improve the functioning of the lymphatic system. This is primarily achieved through gentle, rhythmical circling movements of the skin, which stimulate the contractions of the lymphatic vessels. Techniques are performed with hands and fingers using a light-touch, which is simulating, gentle, through a wave-like movement. The subtle manual maneuvers activate lymph and interstitial fluid circulation as well as stimulate the functioning of the immune and parasympathetic nervous systems. A well functioning lymph system contributes to healthy body tissue and plays an important part in the body's immune system responses. 

In a nutshell having a Lymphatic Drainage can be compared to using a plunger on a slow or stopped up drain. If there is a clog in a drain, the water may go through the drain but it may not be draining to it’s full draining capacity, if at all. But after using a plunger the drain, drains to it’s full capacity.

What is the Importance of Lymph Drainage for good health?The predominant fluid in your body is lymphatic fluid. This fluid carries nutrients from the food you eat and oxygen from the air you breathe. It also carries toxic poisons, bacteria, cholesterol and viruses away from the cells in your body. Our lymphatic system is primarily responsible for carrying disease-fighting material to cells. When the lymphatic system is blocked, we become defenseless against attacks by virus, fungi, and bacteria.Many immune processes occur in the lymph nodes. If the pathways become congested, blocked, damaged or severed, then fluids can build up in the connective tissue leading to edema and swelling. This can lead to abnormalities in the cells and tissues. If there are any abnormalities in the tissues, then it is the role of the lymphatic system to transport the damaged cells, inflammatory products and toxins away from the area. The quicker this happens, the faster recovery will be. This is where Lymphatic Drainage can make a difference, the gentle technique enhances and stimulates the lymphatic system to drain stagnant fluids, detoxify, regenerate tissues, filter out toxins and foreign substances. Lymphatic Drainage is recommended for both the face and body.

Some Benefits of Lymphatic Drainage

¨ Detoxification of the entire body

¨ Relief of chronic pain

¨ Minimizes lines and wrinkles

¨ Restores hydration of the skin and Stimulates the overall skin

¨ Promotes the healing of fractures, torn ligaments, sprains, and lessens pain.

¨ Reduction in fluid retention and edemas (swelling) of various origins

¨ Helps with post-cancer treatments including Radiation therapy

¨ Regeneration of tissue, including burns and wounds

¨ Enhances body contouring and reduces cellulite

¨ Reduces swollen ankles and legs during pregnancy.

¨ Aids in stress reduction by causing deep relaxation

¨ Aids in the reduction of insomnia

¨ Relieves congestion, for those who suffer sinus and allergies

¨ Helps with some forms of constipation

¨ Reduces puffy eyes and “bags” under the eyes

¨ Before and after facial surgery (including cosmetic surgery)

¨ Builds and strengthen collagen fibers and increases tone and enhance facial contouring

¨ Rids the face or body of excess fluids and/or toxins

Brought to you be Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Dr. Red Deer 403-347-3261 www.family1stchiro.ca

Benefits of Back Massage Therapy

Chronic back pain, most commonly lower back pain, is one of the most common complaints

among adults and as the popularity grows throughout the world for alternative treatments

and therapies, Back Massage Therapy has emerged as a favourite treatment of choice in

trying to attain chronic back pain relief.Back massage therapy offers numerous benefits. While general massage is well known to stimulate blood flow to the muscles and provide relaxation and a pleasurable experience, it does not necessarily provide the therapeutic value required to provide chronic back pain relief sought by sufferers of the condition. Back massage therapy by a specialist however can bring about significant relief within weeks, when therapeutic back massage techniques are applied to combat both lower and upper back pain.The positive results from back massage therapy can be multiplied when combined with complimentary treatments such as Chiropractic, Physical Therapy or even Acupuncture. A multi discipline approach will work best when the therapists communicate with each other and 'design' a program of complimentary treatments to achieve chronic back pain relief through a synergistic approach. Results can again be significantly improved with the patient taking personal responsibility and being proactive in achieving chronic back pain relief. This can be done with simple measures such as an improved diet, gentle exercise and stretching.

Benefits of Back Massage Therapy

• Massaging causes the muscles to become more relaxed which in turn increases their range

of motion. This is an enormous benefit when tension of the muscles causes a restriction in

movement. Relaxed muscles also help to reduce insomnia.

• Improved blood supply to the muscles assists with the recovery of muscular soreness from

physical activity.

• Massage increases endorphin levels in the body. This is highly beneficial as endorphins are

the 'feel good' chemicals produced naturally by our bodies. Heightened endorphin levels

assist in dealing with chronic back pain.

Massage therpy is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness, 142 Erickson Drive, Red Deer
www.family1stchiro.ca
403-347-3261

Myth #1- Technology has improved healthcare

Myth #1- Technology has improved healthcare

Dr. Stephen Kelly Bsc,D.C

Ask any person if they believes that technology has improved health care and you will get a resounding "Yes!" Advances in medical technology now enable us to look inside the human body with relative ease and with great detail. Our surgical tools allow us to operate on all parts of the body with a minimum of trauma and blood loss. Technology has helped us improve the quality of life for millions of patients every year. It has enabled us to save countless lives as well. Therefore, it is certainly a foregone conclusion that technology has, in fact, improved our health. Or has it?

Statistically, since the age of technology, there has been an onslaught of increasing pathology. The amount of illness and morbidity in our society is dramatically rising. There are now more cases of cancer, heart disease, arthritis, auto-immune illnesses, endocrine disorders, developmental disorders, allergies, respiratory problems, infectious diseases, neurological problems, musculo-skeletal pathology, gastro-intestinal disorders, psychological illness, etc., than ever before.

While it is true that our technology has enabled us to better handle the enormity of disorders now facing mankind, it has done literally nothing for "health care." If it had, we would have seen a decrease in the amount of illness and pathology in society. We would have experienced a drop in the amount of people requiring intervention from the medical community. Pharmaceutical companies would not be as rich and powerful as they are if people would be less dependent on medication to "feel well". If anything, advances in technology have fostered a narrow field of vision, focused more on early detection and intervention than on prevention. If, by definition, health care means "the maintenance of good health," then technology has failed miserably to produce any measurable improvement in the overall state of health of mankind.

Dr. Stephen Kelly is located at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness located at 142 Erickson Dr, Red Deer, T4R 2X3, 403-347-3261

www.family1stchiro.ca

Touch is an AMAZING power.

The Healing Power of touch.

INTERESTING FACTS ON TOUCH: ~Touch is the first sense to develop in humans, and may be the last to fade ~there are approximately 5 million touch receptors in our skin-- 3000 in a finger tip ~a touch of any kind can reduce the heart rate and lower blood pressure~touch stimulates the release of endorphins (the body's natural pain killers) which is why a mother's hug for a child's skinned knee can literally make it better ~people with eating disorders who receive massage three time a day for ten day's, gain weight faster and got out of the hospital six days sooner than those who don't

~elderly people who massage surrogate grandchildren report higher-esteem and better moods

German emperor Frederick II, took a number of newborns from their mothers and gave them to nurses who fed them but did not cuddle or talk to them. All of the babies died before they could talk. Fredrick concluded "They could not live without petting."

~In the early 1990's, Romania, thousands of infants were put in orphanages, they were left in their cribs for two years, all alone. They were found to be severely impaired.

~Duke Professor Saul Schanberg found that rat pups separated from their parents for 45 minutes underwent major internal changes including a large drop in growth hormones. Injections of growth hormones didn't help. But when someone stroked them with a wet paintbrush-- mimicking their mothers tongue--the hormone levels went back up.
Family First Chiropractic and Wellness has chiropractic, craniosacral therapy and massage therapy. Let our practitioners use their helaing touch on you and your family 403-347-3261 to book an appointment. We are located at 142 Erickson Drive Red Deer.

www.family1stchiro.ca

Consumer Reports Survey 2011

Chiropractic care out-performed all other back pain and neck pain treatments in a new 2011 Consumer Reports alternative therapies survey. Respondents were asked to indicate the treatment used and whether it helped for particular conditions. 65% of chiropractic patients indicated chiropractic “helped a lot” for back pain, well above prescription medication, deep-tissue massage and over-the-counter medication. Chiropractic treatment also scored high for neck pain (64%), headache and migraine treatments (77%), and osteoarthritis treatments (53%).Dr. Stephen Kelly practices chiropractic at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness in Red Deer, Alberta.

http://www.family1stchiro.ca/

Looking for a family friendly clinic?

Red Deer chiropractor Dr. Joelle Johnson and the staff at Family First Chiropractic and Wellness want you to become part of our family. We offer a variety of Red Deer chiropractic services including massage therapy, craniosacral therapy, orthotics and chiropractic treatment for:

• Back pain
• Migraine headaches
• Neck pain
• Wrist pain, carpal tunnel
• Foot pain
• Work-related injuries WCB
• Whiplash and car injuries



Dr. Joelle Johnson adjusting a 6 month old

We are also a Red Deer pregnancy chiropractor that provides pre-natal care, babies and children's chiropractic care.Our other services include Ideal Protein Weight Loss diet, natural health products, nutritional information, a monthly health newsletter and much, much more 403.347.3261. http://www.family1stchiro.ca/